Duties

Summary

The incumbent of this position serves as Veterinary Medical Officer and administers the national animal welfare education program as mandated by PL99-158 and the PHS Policy, as well as assists the Director, DPE in planning and executing the Federal, PHS, and NIH policies, requirements, and procedures for the humane care and use of laboratory animals for all HHS at PHS-funded institutions.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

• As a Veterinary Medical Officer, some of your duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to the following:
• Develop, administer and monitor the National Animal Welfare Education Program as mandated by PL99-158 and the PHS Policy.
• Provide authoritative guidance and works collaboratively with the Director, DPE to plan and execute Federal, PHS, and NIH policies, requirements, and procedures.
• Develop and edit publications of NIH extramural program training materials to direct NIH and PHS grants and programs in complying with NIH Guide for Grants and Contracts, Vertebrate Animals Section (VAS).
• Advise on, refine, and effectively implement policies governing the administration of PL 99-158, the U.S. Government Principles, the PHS Policy, and the Guide, and coordinate these policies with the AWR and the AVMA Euthanasia Guidelines.
• Serve as an NIH-wide expert on biomedical research policy compliance rollouts to ensure coordination of activities across NIH, the federal government, and the research community.
• Develop, and conduct activities designed to educate Assured institutions on OLAW mission, policies, and goals.
• Design and conduct studies to determine the effectiveness of DPE-designed, and -sponsored training programs; analyze the results of studies and apply analyses to increase effectiveness and efficiency of such programs.
• Conduct special projects on cross-cutting issues related to implementation of the PHS Policy at Assured institutions.

Travel Required

Occasional travel - You may be expected to travel for this position.

Supervisory status
No

Promotion Potential
14

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship requirement or proof of being a U.S. National must be met by closing date.
• Employment is subject to the successful completion of a background investigation, verification of qualifications, completion of onboarding forms, submission of required documents, and any other job-related requirement before or after appointment.
• Applicants must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of this announcement.
• Males born after December 31, 1959 must be registered with the Selective Service.
• Position requires Education. Please provide transcripts.

Qualifications

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

In order to meet the Basic Requirements for a Veterinary Medical Officer, GS-0701 position, you must have:

A. Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or equivalent degree, i.e., Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), obtained at a school or college of veterinary medicine accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA);
OR

B. Successfully graduated from a foreign veterinary medical school that is not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education. AND I have been certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Veterinary Graduates (ECFVG). AND have passed the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE) ORI have passed the International English Language Test System (IELTS) or the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL);
OR

C. Successfully graduated from a foreign veterinary medical school that is not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education. AND have a permanent, full, and unrestricted license to practice veterinary medicine in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States that includes successful completion of the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE) or its predecessors, the National Board Examination (NBE) and the Clinical Competency Test (CCT). AND have passed the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE) OR have passed the International English Language Test System (IELTS) or the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL);
OR

D. Successfully graduated from a foreign veterinary medical school that is not accredited by the AVMA Council on Education. AND have proof that my education is equivalent to that gained in a veterinary medical program that is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education. This equivalency is established by an AVMA-accredited veterinary medical school or college that has accepted my final transcript at full value for placement into an advanced degree, postgraduate educational program, or training program (e.g. residency or graduate program). AND I have passed the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the Test of Spoken English (TSE) and the Test of Written English (TWE) OR have passed the International English Language Test System (IELTS) or the Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL).

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

To qualify for this position at the GS-13 level, in addition to the Basic Requirement shown above, you must:

A. Demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-12 level in the Federal Government obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: managing and providing veterinary medical or surgical care through regular monitoring of animal and colony health; providing therapeutic medicine, surgery, and coverage of veterinary emergencies; providing preventive medicine programs, including quarantining, conditioning, and isolating animals and developing and coordinating section environmental sanitation programs; developing plans and recommendations for improving animal care practices at a facility; overseeing animal husbandry practices including nutrition, sanitation, and temperature; ensuring the use of laboratory animals is consistent with humane principles and Federal regulations and guidelines; and developing ongoing animal health monitoring programs;
OR
B. Have a Ph.D. degree in animal science, avian medicine, food safety, infectious diseases, veterinary clinical sciences, pathobiology, biomedical sciences, veterinary anatomy, veterinary parasitology, molecular veterinary biosciences, public health, microbiology, pathology, immunology, laboratory animal medicine, toxicology, wildlife, zoological animal medicine, or other sciences related to the work of a veterinary medical officer position;
OR
C. Successful completion of three years of an internship, residency program, or fellowship training program in a discipline related to the position;
OR
D. Certified as a specialist in a specific veterinary medical field by a board that is recognized by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS) of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and has successfully completed all requirements for Diplomate status in an ABVS-recognized veterinary specialty organization. Such specialties may include one of the following specialty areas, or a closely related area: veterinary toxicology, laboratory animal medicine, poultry veterinary medicine, theriogenology, veterinary anesthesiology, veterinary behaviorists, veterinary clinical pharmacology, veterinary dermatology, veterinary emergency and critical care, veterinary internal medicine, veterinary microbiology, veterinary nutrition, veterinary ophthalmology, veterinary pathology, veterinary preventive medicine, veterinary radiology, veterinary medicine, and veterinary dentistry.

To qualify for this position at the GS-14 level, in addition to the Basic Requirement shown above, you must demonstrate in your resume at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to the GS-13 level in the Federal Government obtained in either the private or public sector, performing the following types of tasks: formulating, establishing, and coordinating the management of veterinary program activities, policies and objectives for animal care and use activities; evaluating the effectiveness of programs and providing guidance on a veterinary medical program and animal health standards and criteria; coordinating investigative teams for site visits to monitor compliance and investigating reported or alleged noncompliance or to provide technical assistance; performing veterinary medical diagnostic, surgical and/or treatment services for one on more species of laboratory animals in a laboratory environment prior to and during research utilization.

You will receive credit for all experience material to the position, including experience gained in religious, civic, welfare, service, and organizational activities, regardless of whether you received pay.
Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position.

Preview assessment questionnaire before you apply: https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/11073430

Education

This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts (or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed and grades). Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Click here for information on Foreign Education .

Additional information

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application .

• This position is designated as a " non-emergency/teleworker " position and the selected candidate will be considered a " non-emergency/teleworker " employee. In the event of a closure, you must be available to telework or request leave.
• A one-year probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
• PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps should also apply online to this announcement in order to receive consideration.
• At the supervisor's discretion, this position may offer work schedule flexibilities : [telework, remote work, compressed schedules, flexible schedules].
• The National Institutes of Health participates in the USCIS Electronic Employment Eligibility Verification Program ( E-Verify ). E-Verify helps employers determine employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security numbers.
• The NIH maintains a tobacco free work environment and campus.
• Must be able to perform the essential duties of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
• Visit our Applicant FAQs page for helpful information on the application process.
• Visit our Total Compensation page for a detailed look into the benefits, awards, leave, retirement and other incentives employees may receive as part of a rewarding work environment.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Additional selections may be made for similar positions across the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) within the local commuting area(s) of the location identified in this announcement. By applying, you agree to have your application shared with interested selecting official(s) at HHS. Clearance of CTAP/ICTAP will be applied for similar positions across HHS.

The position(s) advertised in this announcement are covered by a direct hire authority. Traditional rating and ranking of applicants, including category rating, does not apply to this vacancy. You will be initially evaluated against the basic qualifications only. Qualified applicants will be referred for consideration in accordance with the Office of Personnel Management direct hire guidelines . Veterans' Preference does not apply to positions covered by a direct hire authority.

To determine your qualifications and referral status, we may review your resume and supporting documentation and compare it against your responses to the vacancy questionnaire. Ensure you support your self-ratings by the information you provide in your application. We may verify or assess your qualifications at any time. Inflated or unsupported qualifications may affect your rating. Any misrepresentation or material omission of facts may be sufficient cause to end further consideration of your candidacy. Persons listed as having knowledge of your past accomplishments or experience in your application may be contacted for verification purposes at any time. Verification may, but need not, begin prior to receiving an offer.

To be considered well qualified for the purposes of the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) , you must be able to satisfactorily perform the duties of the position upon entry and substantively exceed the basic qualifications and meet all eligibility, physical, medical, suitability, and all other requirements.

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Other

Drug test required
No

Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk

Trust determination process
Suitability/Fitness

Required Documents

REQUIRED FOR ALL APPLICANTS

RESUME:
Your resume must thoroughly describe how your skills and experiences align to the criteria defined in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement and it must support your responses to the assessment questionnaire. We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career.

To ensure all of the essential information is in your resume, we encourage you to use the USAJOBS online Resume Builde r. If you choose to use your own resume, you must ensure it contains all of the required information and you organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:

Job title

Name of employer

Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)

Hours worked per week. We will assume full-time unless otherwise stated. We will prorate part-time employment in crediting experience.

Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised (if applicable)

Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)

If the position has an education requirement or you are qualifying on the basis of education, you must list your education history including the type of degree and your major of study. If the position requires a certain number of credit hours, you are strongly encouraged to list the relevant courses in your resume.

Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

For resume writing guidance, please visit the following resources: NIH Jobs website , USAJOBS Resource Center , and the USAJOBS Resume Writing Video Tutorial .

ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE:
You must submit a completed assessment questionnaire.

Unless otherwise stated, we will only use the information above to determine your qualifications. Not providing the required information may result in a determination that you do not meet minimum requirements for the position (e.g., an ineligible rating) or a lower rating.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION FOR CAREER TRANSITION CLAIMS
Visit our websites to claim selection priority through the Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) or the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP):

• CTAP: https://jobs.nih.gov/announcement-links/CTAP.htm
• ICTAP: https://jobs.nih.gov/announcement-links/ictap.htm

If you do not provide the required information, we will assume you are not eligible or you do not wish to be considered for any preference or eligibility.

Please do not submit any other supplementary documentation that is not requested of you. To protect your personal information, we will only send your resume and cover letter to the selecting official or hiring manager.

If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.